Can mesh-laminated glass help reduce bird strikes?

Every year, a billion birds in the US die from colliding with glass. Find out how mesh-laminated glass can keep them safe.



McCormick Place is the largest convention centre in the US – a steel, concrete and glass complex of interconnected buildings by the shore of Lake Michigan. Every year, it holds dozens of trade shows and meetings.

In October 2023, however, McCormick Place made headlines for negative reasons. More than 1,000 birds, it was reported, had collided with the glass and died.

Why? Because, as UCL News reports, "The building's almost unbroken glass facade presents a problem for birds, most notably at night when the brilliantly lit interiors cause them to become confused."

And the problem isn't limited to McCormick Place. In fact, it ranks alongside roadkill and habitat destruction as one of the biggest hazards to animals in the USA and beyond.

In the words of the US Fish and Wildlife Service: "One of the greatest hazards to birds is plate glass, with windows in homes and offices killing as many as one billion birds each year."

Thankfully, human ingenuity is at hand to solve this problem. There are many solutions on offer – and one of them is a speciality of ours, mesh-laminated glass.

What is mesh-laminated glass?

Mesh-laminated glass is a type of decorative safety glass. It's made by sandwiching a metal mesh layer between two or more sheets of glass and an adhesive plastic interlayer.

Mesh-laminated glass is aesthetically versatile. Here at ToughGlaze, our mesh-laminated glass units can be manufactured with a range of textures: from copper to brass, from aluminium to stainless steel.

And because mesh-laminated glass falls under the "safety glass" banner, it's highly durable, impact-resistant and noise-reducing.

Often used for interior partitions, doors, railings and facades, mesh-laminated glass has another benefit.  Its woven metallic appearance can help prevent birds from colliding with its glass surface.

Is mesh-laminated glass bird-friendly?

The methods available to architects for reducing bird strikes are diverse and they range in complexity. The simplest solution, however, is to add visual information to the glass.

It's the same principle as adding "manifestations" to doors and partitions for pedestrians and building users. These safety markings, be they dots, squares or lines, help stop people from walking into clear glass doors, partitions or screens.

This is the method used by many homeowners wanting to warn birds of oncoming glass. Options include a small-mesh net or screen, stickers, shutters or half-open internal blinds.

Mesh-laminated glass does the same job. Its wire mesh interlayer acts as a visual cue for oncoming birds. It enables them to see the glass as a solid object rather than an opening. This makes it bird-friendly and ideal for a range of applications.

The benefits of mesh-laminated glass for reducing bird strikes

So, why choose mesh-laminated glass rather than a simple mesh net or mesh-style sticker?

The answer is that good-quality mesh-laminated glass has a whole host of benefits other than its bird-friendly aesthetic.

Durability

The mesh itself is long-lasting. Embedded in the glass, it's not susceptible to corrosion. This is a key difference from uncased mesh effects.

Safety

Mesh-laminated glass is a kind of laminated glass. This is a strong, impact-resistant type of glass that's manufactured to break safely.

It takes a lot of energy to break laminated glass – and when it does break, the broken glass adheres to the plastic interlayer. This means it maintains structural integrity and stops the glass from falling.

Compliance

If you shop from the best, your mesh-laminated glass units will be tested and compliant as well as strong and aesthetically pleasing. Here at ToughGlaze, our TG MI mesh-laminated glass carries the Kitemark seal and has been manufactured and tested in line with all relevant BSI standards.

Aesthetics

Perhaps most importantly, mesh-laminated glass unlocks a whole host of aesthetic possibilities for designers and architects.

The mesh interlayer comes in a range of textural effects. Depending on context, it can look industrial, impressionistic or even rustic. It all depends on the mesh you choose (copper or brass? Steel or bronze?) and how it interacts with nearby design elements.

At the end of the day, this means you can install glass to reduce bird strikes without any compromise to the aesthetic appeal of your project.

What other solutions are available?

Mesh-laminated glass isn't the only way of making glass buildings more bird-friendly.

Take the Aqua Tower in Chicago. Completed in 2009 under the leadership of US architect Jeanne Gang, the tower has fritted glass and a wave-like facade with curved balconies.

The result is a building that has all the benefits of a traditional skyscraper with a forward-looking aesthetic and bird-friendly surfaces.

Fritted glass is a type of frosted glass. It contains small particles of ground-up glass and its surface is printed with ink. This makes it visible to birds that might otherwise collide with the skyscraper.

A similar aesthetic was explored by the Buffalo architect Joyce Hwang. Her "No Crash Zone" used temporary patterns on windows of the Sullivan Centre in Chicago.

Like the Aqua Tower, Hwang's No Crash Zone combines aesthetic interest with bird safety.

The message is clear. Reducing bird attacks doesn't mean any sacrifice of aesthetic interest. On the contrary, the use of mesh-laminated glass, fritted glass and manifestations – such as those at New York's Columbia University – expand the aesthetic potential of glass.

About TG MI

TG MI is our highly customisable mesh laminate product. Whatever its application, you get to choose from a wide range of mesh patterns and materials, including bronze, copper, brass and stainless steel.

TG MI shares the benefits of our mainline safety glass products. It's super-strong, impact-resistant, thermally-efficient and long-lasting. Moreover, it's manufactured in line with all the industrial standards that matter to you.

It's a great example of the aesthetic possibilities of toughened and laminated glass – and it can help reduce bird strikes, too.

Are you looking for high-quality mesh-laminated glass? At ToughGlaze, we offer a wide range of decorative options – all cut, processed and shipped under one roof. Get in touch with our experts today to discuss your needs or request a quote.